Waycroft Academy

Waycroft Academy has demonstrated significant improvement since its last inspection, moving from a 'Requires Improvement' to a 'Good' rating overall. The school's leadership has been strengthened, and under the guidance of headteacher Adam Smith, staff are well-supported in their roles. The curriculum is ambitious and well-structured, and students are engaged, showing enthusiasm for their learning. The school focuses on both academic excellence and the personal development of pupils, which is reflected in their positive behavior and willingness to participate in school activities.

Strengths

• Strong pastoral support enhances pupil well-being.
• Effective phonics program helps early readers.
• Pupils engage positively in lessons and school activities.
• Ambitious and well-structured curriculum from Nursery to Year 6.
• High-quality pastoral support aids in managing pupil feelings.
• Active pupil leadership opportunities improve school engagement.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment in some subjects does not effectively track pupil learning.
• Support for SEND pupils lacks precise adaptation to individual needs.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Waycroft Academy attended 94.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.8% of pupils at Waycroft Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Waycroft Academy had 26.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 16.9% of pupils at Waycroft Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Waycroft Academy received £6,762 and spent £7,045 for each of its 436 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £254,000 (£584 per pupil).

Across all 33 schools of Cabot Learning Federation, income was £8,647 and spending £8,763 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bristol · Bristol, City of local authority: places and applications

Waycroft Academy is part of Cabot Learning Federation, which runs 34 schools. The nearest others:

• Woodlands Academy Bristol
• Wicklea Academy Bristol
• Hanham Woods Academy Bristol
• John Cabot Academy Bristol
• The City Academy Bristol Bristol
• Summerhill Academy Bristol
• Bristol Brunel Academy Bristol
• Evergreen Primary Academy Bristol
• Digitech Studio School Bristol
• King's Oak Academy Bristol

What is Waycroft Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Waycroft Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.

When was Waycroft Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Waycroft Academy was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does Waycroft Academy have?

Waycroft Academy has 461 pupils on roll.

What age range does Waycroft Academy cover?

Waycroft Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Waycroft Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 48% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Waycroft Academy?

Waycroft Academy is at Selden Road, Stockwood, Bristol, BS14 8PS.